death certificate

noun

: an official document that gives information about a person's death (such as when and how the death happened)

Examples of death certificate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Meadows’ death certificate later listed his cause of death as drowning with probable hypothermia. — Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2026

That connection is documented on the death certificate, a form most of us will never fill out and may not understand without some background. — Jess Steier, STAT, 25 Sep. 2026

Presley Gerber has been cremated, according to his death certificate, per TMZ. — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2026

Comer died May 28 at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center, according to a death certificate filed with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health that was obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026

Legal Definition

death certificate

noun

: a document setting forth information (as age, occupation, and place of birth) relating to a dead person and including a doctor's certification of the cause of death

Note: Death certificates are issued by a particular public official, as a city or town clerk. A death certificate is required to document a person's death for certain purposes, as to file an estate tax return or to probate an estate.